


Trip Gets Stuck

by Warp5Complex_Archivist



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-08-19
Updated: 2008-08-19
Packaged: 2018-08-16 05:31:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8089039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warp5Complex_Archivist/pseuds/Warp5Complex_Archivist
Summary: The title says it all. A first contact has an unusual complication. Written for August's "Get Trip into Trouble Month."





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Kylie Lee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Warp 5 Complex](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Warp_5_Complex), the software of which ceased to be maintained and created a security hazard. To make future maintenance and archive growth easier, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but I may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Warp 5 Complex collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Warp5Complex).

  
Author's notes: **Disclaimer: Donâ€™t own â€˜em, donâ€™t make money off â€˜em.**

**Notes: This is written for Augustâ€™s â€œGet Trip Into Trouble Month.â€ Although this centers on Trip getting into trouble, for some reason, the Muse decided to put this in Travisâ€™s POV. Itâ€™s still hilarious, though...a first contact has a rather strange complication.**

**There are a few literary references in here. Can you find them? :) And I thought that Trip might be a more eclectic comic book collector and not just have issues of Superman.**

**Rating: K+**

**Please R &R. Thanks!**

* * *

* * *

**Trip Gets Stuck**

â€œGet me out of here!â€

Travis couldnâ€™t help it; he burst out laughing and couldnâ€™t stop. His knees suddenly went weak and he had to lean on the cave wall to steady himself. The problem was that right next to him was the bottom half of Commander Charles â€œTripâ€ Tucker the Third, firmly wedged in a hole in said wall. Tripâ€™s legs flailed about in a useless effort to free himself. Travis knew he shouldnâ€™t laugh at his superior officerâ€™s expense, but it was just hilarious.

â€œIâ€™m warninâ€™ you, Lieutenant, say one more word and Iâ€™m bustinâ€™ you down to crewman and youâ€™re scrubbing plasma conduits till the cows come home!â€

Travis managed to get himself under control. â€œSorry, sir. Captain Archer said theyâ€™d be here within half an hour. I think I heard Lieutenant Commander Reed saying something about explosivesâ€”â€œ

â€œMalcolmâ€™s gonna try to blast me outta here? Great. â€˜Up in the air with the greatest of ease...the engineer goes flying without a trapeze.â€™â€ For someone who was wedged tight in the only exit, Trip sounded unusually upbeat. In fact, Travis decided he had a good singing voice, all things considered.

â€œWe can always call the Rataffians to dig you out, sir.â€

Trip laughed shortly. â€œThatâ€™d look pretty good, huh? Commander First Contact gets jammed in their emergency exit. â€˜Uh, â€˜scuse us, I know that we just met you folks, but can you dig me out with those sharp claws of yours?â€

â€œThey would, though.â€ The Rataffians lived within the dark depths of Humara Three. Trip had described them as â€˜prairie dogs with faces of molesâ€™, and Travis had thought it was quite apt. Their vision was poor, but they compensated by excellent hearing. When the Rataffians found out Trip was an engineer, they insisted on Trip being _Enterprise_ â€™s representative instead of Archer. They were elegant builders and their underground cities were not only grand, they were _magnificent_.

â€œHow can a species of skilled architects build beautiful cities, but have only three exits to the planet surface? And I just manage to pick the one out of the three that collapses around me?â€

Travis started at how Trip had picked up on his thoughts. â€œThe Rataffians can tuck themselves into a ball and hurl themselves out, sir. Small holes arenâ€™t a problem for them.â€

â€œI bet Malcolm wouldnâ€™t have trouble getting out of here, then.â€

â€œI think even Lieutenant Commander Reed might have a problem, sir. Heâ€™s still more than twice the size of a normal Rataffian.â€

â€œThatâ€™s reassuring.â€ Suddenly Trip laughed again. â€œSorry, Travis. Itâ€™s just that these things always seem to happen to me.â€

Travis silently agreed with him, but knew better than to say it out loud. At least Tripâ€™s mood seemed to lighten a little. â€œYou know, Hoshi mightâ€™ve had better luck.â€

Trip snorted. â€œYeah, but unfortunately, sheâ€™s claustrophobic enough that having her down here would be a really bad idea, but at least she was able to be with us via communicator. And if she hadnâ€™t, the capâ€™n might not have known we were in trouble--â€œ

He heard scraping sounds from outside, then Trip burst out, â€œCapâ€™n! Thank God! Can you get me out of here?â€

Archerâ€™s voice was reassuring, but Travis knew the captain was barely holding in his laughter. â€œWeâ€™ll get you out of there, Trip. Whereâ€™s Travis?â€

Travis raised his voice. â€œHere, sir. Iâ€™m all right, just on the other side of the wall.â€

Then Malcolm spoke up, â€œCan you try to push the Commander while we pull him from this side?â€

â€œI can try.â€ Travis winced as he tried to figure out how he could do that without putting Trip through another round of humiliation. _I wonder if regulations have something about pushing your commanding officer out rear-first._ Travis settled for putting his hands around Tripâ€™s waist and pushing him that way while Archer and Reed pulled Trip from the other side.

Trip cursed up a blue streak, but he was still wedged in tight. Travis gave up all pretense at being gentlemanly. He said, â€œSorry, Commander.â€ Then he picked up Tripâ€™s flailing legs and tried pushing him out of the hole that way. It didnâ€™t help.

â€œNo good,â€ Trip gasped. â€œIâ€™m stuck.â€

â€œStop, Travis,â€ Archer said. â€œWeâ€™ll have to think of another way.â€

â€œReminds me of Winnie-the-Pooh,â€ came Hoshi Satoâ€™s frustrated voice from the other side of the wall.

â€œWhat the hell does Winnie-the-Pooh have to do with this?â€ Trip demanded.

â€œRemember, he got stuck in Rabbitâ€™s front door after he ate lunch at Rabbitâ€™s place.â€

â€œI am _not_ staying in here till I lose enough weight for you guys to push me outta here!â€

Travis couldnâ€™t help it; he burst out laughing again, and he heard Archerâ€™s loud guffaws and Hoshiâ€™s musical laugh. Travis could imagine Malcolmâ€™s smirk and Tripâ€™s scarlet face. Then he heard Phloxâ€™s voice say, â€œI suggest we get Commander Tucker out of the opening before his blood pressure rises any more.â€

â€œPermission to use dynamite, sir?â€ Malcolm asked, and Travis swore that the Armory officer sounded downright gleeful...for Malcolm, anyway.

â€œHold on a minute, Malcolm. Letâ€™s try the old pick-and-shovel technique first. Iâ€™d like to have my Chief Engineer in one piece.â€

â€œI really do appreciate it, Capâ€™n.â€

â€œBe careful,â€ Malcolm warned. â€œToo fast and we might cause a major cave-in.â€

â€œTravis, can you try digging from that side?â€ Hoshi asked.

Travis eyed the rock with a dubious look. â€œI can try, but Iâ€™m not sure how much help I can be without tools.â€

â€œKeep an eye on the surrounding area, Lieutenant,â€ said Phlox, â€œand warn us if there are any signs of cave-in.â€

â€œWill do, Doc.â€

He heard the scrape of blade on rock and a fine powder of dirt rained on him. Travis wiped his face with his sleeve. It was still rather disconcerting to see just the lower half of Commander Tucker stuck in the wall; it looked as if it had just sprouted from the rocks. _Maybe itâ€™s good that I donâ€™t have the Commanderâ€™s camera right now..._

A chittering noise startled him out of his thoughts. Travis jumped as a furry paw brushed against his lower back. He glanced down and saw a groundhog-shaped shadow squatting on the ground at his feet. Carefully, he switched on the UT on his belt and words poured out of it.

â€œ...help, if you would be so gracious to accept it.â€ Humor seemed to be a universal concept, for the Rataffian seemed to be just keeping himself from rolling on the ground in laughter. â€œYou Tall Ones get yourselves stuck often, hmmm?â€

â€œActually, it happens far less than you think,â€ Travis replied. â€œCommander Tucker has to crawl around some tight spaces on our ship, but he doesnâ€™t usually get stuck like this.â€

â€œIt is fortunate, then, for your commander seems to have the worst fortune of anyone I have ever seen.â€

_Interesting he notices that already, even though weâ€™ve known each other for a little more than twenty-four hours,_ Travis mused. Aloud, he said, â€œWe can use any help you can offer us, sir.â€

The Rataffian looked over his shoulder and shouted something high-pitched that the UT didnâ€™t translate. Archerâ€™s voice called, â€œTravis? You all right in there?â€

â€œIâ€™m okay, Captain. The Rataffians are going to help dig Commander Tucker out from this side,â€ Travis said. â€œIf we work from both sides, weâ€™ll meet in the middle.â€

Trip raised his voice and said, â€œTell the prairie dogs that Iâ€™m grateful for their help, Travis.â€

A swarm of furry Rataffians slithered past Travis and took up position all around Tripâ€™s wedged lower half. Travis managed to stifle his giggles, for the sight was just ludicrous. Now he _wished_ he had the camera. â€œAll right, weâ€™re ready!â€

The Boss (as Travis mentally nicknamed him) gave the order, and the Excavation Crew began using their claws to remove the dirt from around the hole, slowly but surely. The sounds of scrabbling rose up again from Archerâ€™s side. After fifteen minutes, Travis saw the first glimmers of light.

â€œAlmost there!â€ he yelled. â€œJust a little more.â€

â€œCareful!â€ Trip hollered. â€œI can just barely wriggle my wayâ€”â€œ And Trip began shimming side to side, his legs trying to gain purchase on the slippery dirt. Travis tried to push, while Archer, Reed and Hoshi grabbed Tripâ€™s arms to pull. The Rataffians hissed in encouragement, as inch by inch, Trip began to move, then in one big rush, he flew out of the hole. The rest of the hole collapsed around him, cutting off the light.

â€œHeâ€™s free!â€ Travis yelled. The Rataffians broke out into squeals and cheers. It went on for several seconds before Travis realized they had another problem. â€œNow _Iâ€™m_ stuck in here.â€

He felt the Bossâ€™s paw on his arm. â€œNot to worry, we will guide you to another exit.â€ The humor in his voice â€œOne that is more stable.â€

â€œI can deal with that. Lead the way.â€ The Construction Crew swarmed all around him and gently pushed him farther up the cavern.

* * *

â€œI donâ€™t think Iâ€™ll ever live that one down,â€ Trip said, as Phlox hovered over him with a medscanner in Sickbay. â€œThanks, Travis.â€

â€œNo problem, sir. Iâ€™m just glad things turned out for the best.â€ He chuckled. â€œThe next time we go underground, we oughta include shovel and picks in our equipment, just in case.â€

The Sickbay doors opened to admit Captain Archer, Sub-Commander Tâ€™Pol and Hoshi Sato. Trip flushed red when Tâ€™Pol just looked at him with calm Vulcan aplomb, but even Travis could see the amusement in her eyes. He was sure that Tâ€™Pol had read the â€œofficialâ€ first-contact report, but sheâ€™d probably heard the unofficial version from the Gossip Grapevine (namely, Hoshi, since Travis hadnâ€™t had the time yet to talk to anyone).

â€œThe Rataffians have sent you a gift, Commander,â€ Tâ€™Pol deadpanned, â€œin the interest of interspecies friendship.â€ She handed Trip a package wrapped in soft leather.

â€œWhat is it?â€ Trip asked, genuinely curious. He turned it round in his hands, but there were no identifying marks.

â€œOpen it, Trip,â€ Archer prompted him.

Trip did so and he lifted out a pair of furry gloves. â€œGloves?â€ he asked, confused. â€œThey gave me _gloves_?â€

â€œPut them on, Commander,â€ Tâ€™Pol said. â€œThe Rataffians said that their function would be better understood if you do so.â€

Mystified, Trip put the gloves on and flexed his fingers. There was the sound of metal and five claws sprang up from slits on the back of each hand. Trip examined them and whistled in awed delight. â€œWow. I bet these would be great if I ever got stuck somewhere again.â€ His grin widened. â€œThese are like Wolverineâ€™s claws!â€

Tâ€™Pol raised an eyebrow and said, â€œThey do resemble the claws of the Earth mammal.â€

Travis grinned as everyone laughed in Sickbay, all but Tâ€™Pol and Phlox, who wore identical looks of utter confusion. He wondered if Trip could get them interested in reading some particular issues of Tripâ€™s huge comic book collection.


End file.
